Skier Zack Giffin (host of the TV series, Tiny House Nation & co-host of the podcast, Tiny House Tales) makes a compelling case for how smaller living spaces can be a significant part of the solution to affordable housing; homelessness; climate issues, energy consumption, and creating more socio-economically diverse communities — which is a fancy way of saying, real, actual communities. Today’s conversation is another important addition to our conversations on mountain town economics & affordable housing solutions.
TOPICS & TIMES:
Zack Giffin, Skier (4:39)
Best Ski Trip Story & Moving to Baker (6:46)
How Zack got into Tiny Houses (12:59)
Building his first Tiny House (18:08)
The Launch of “Tiny House Nation” (26:23)
Regulations & Tiny Houses (31:56)
Average Size of New Houses (45:35)
Rules & Laws Against Tiny Houses (48:52)
What Can Individuals Do to Help? (58:42)
What Counts as “Tiny House” (1:11:09)
Price Ranges (1:15:45)
CRAFTED pod + Functioning in Smaller Spaces (1:17:54)
Zack’s Other Projects (1:21:43)
Veterans’ Non-profit, Operation Tiny Home (1:24:33)
Zack’s podcast, Tiny House Tales (1:30:47)
Where to Learn More (1:34:47)
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Tiny houses still present a density issue. Yes, you can fit 4-6 tiny homes on a lot, but you can easily double or triple the density by building up into an apartment building. We need to get over the idea of a detached home in these resort towns. there is too much demand and not enough land.
I’d argue that resort jurisdictions should require 1-2 basement apartments for long term leases for each house built, or implement the Aspen Property Transfer Tax
What a great discussion, frequently podcasts and interviews are vague when it comes to the details due to the brevity of the format but Zack’s background and knowledge really come through. There is not any single solution to remedy the lack of available housing in mountain towns and local zoning laws should allow enough flexibility to allow potential solutions like Tiny Houses in residential areas.
It would be nice if you’d interview someone who actually knows about the issue, and not just opinionated athletes. Not to mention the fact that you never feature people who are not from a relatively upper-class background, and almost only feature white people. Resort housing is an issue related to economics and land theft, if we go back far enough. I understand that Blister is a sports publication, but if you’re going to talk about non-sports issues, than maybe consider featuring people other than athletes.
Huh?? It certainly appears that you posted before bothering to listen to the conversation. Zack is one of the most informed and qualified people in the country to speak about these issues. If you listened, that would be apparent.
One of the best podcast episodes of any podcast I’ve listened to in some time. For the past five years, I’ve lived in a mountain town in the Interior West. The median home price is now $1,800,000.00. The median rental price is $3,725.00. Over a five year period, I paid my landlord $97,000.00 in rent. During the five years that I rented my home, the value of the home went from $300,000.00 to $1,000,000.00. I am a teacher, ski guide and ski coach. The day my landlord told me I had 45 days to vacate the property so that he could sell the house, I realized that was it. I no longer could live in this mountain town in the Interior West, and one may think any mountain town in the Interior West. My Daughter and I had to leave our community, school, ski team, clients, friends. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to that mountain town. I’m encouraged by Zack’s thoughtful approach, both qualitatively and quantitatively, in approaching the economics of housing, the impact on ongoing climate change, and the impact of both on migration patterns. Great episode.
Humans have no chance of not extinguishing their (and close enough to every other living thing on the planet’s) existence within not too long. Of course tiny homes make huge sense. A smaller life makes sense. How we exist in a world today where we don’t openly and readily know how much CO2 is tied to every single activity we engage in from heating our home to driving our completely unnecessary all wheel drive SUV to the grocery store to flying to France is insane. It should be cool to burn (fossil fuel) as little as possible. But instead huge trucks and huge homes are cool…but they are really lame as hell. A bigger carbon footprint isn’t cool. Doing everything isn’t cool. We need a paradigm shift in how we live life. I say get really, really good at something and immerse yourself in that. Humans are addictive by nature and the more $ we can access then the more quick fixes we spend on. But I have to admit, I don’t know anyone who does a ton of shit that is really good at any one thing. Where is the satisfaction in that? It’s all high level. You go deep and you need less of everything.
Of the 3R’s there are two that are easy but do almost nothing and one that will (or would) have a huge impact but is all but impossible for humans to embrace and that is REDUCE. We gotta heat 3500 sq feet for 2 adults and 2 kids and, well, the Silverado and all. We’re idiots. We clearly value this material crap and are happy to create more CO2 simply because hey, we can afford it, far more than ski seasons and summers without smoke. It’s too bad. We still base our future on the past. The future is nothing like the past. Reduction is our only salvation.
I want to rant about cruises but won’t. A cruise! hahahahaha. What a monumental dump on the atmosphere and for what? Seriously.